Here are creative ways to display model airplanes for a dynamic collection
There are a number of creative ways to display model airplanes. Whether you’re remodeling an office or looking for a way to keep your finished projects out of reach from toddlers with a rough touch, these simple projects will allow you to both show off your work and store it in a safe place.
The best displays for model planes are those that can scale up and accommodate planes of different sizes. If you’re like many prolific model builders, you either have or will soon have more projects than a single shelf and every tabletop in the home can do justice to.
Display wall
Simple shelves are a popular choice because they’re so easy to build and the design can be as straightforward as plain brackets and a longboard. There’s also a lot of room for personal touches. Paint them a color that either complements the model planes or sets a scene like a sky blue or camouflage.
Rather than a single shelf, choose one wall to serve as a focal point for a room. Line the entire wall with shelves of either the same length or of varying sizes. Make it interesting by staggering the heights and lengths.
Use the shorter ones to feature your favorites or newest completions. Angle them on the surface or on elaborate stands. The most important step is to secure each shelf. Avoid placing them too low if there are kids present who may be inclined to try and climb them.
And if you intend to use stands, factor extra height into the spacing.
From the ceiling
Modelers short on space often hang their projects from the ceiling. All you need to do is install hooks in the ceiling and use kite string to hang them. This works best if your ceilings are high enough that you don’t risk people bumping their heads.
Measure the string so the planes hang at slightly different lengths and use two strings for each. Hang the fronts of the plane from the shorter string so they look like they’re taking off. Give each one room to sway by spacing the hooks apart in proportion to the size of the plane.
Note that planes can hang either horizontally from the ceiling or vertically against walls. For low ceilings, place hooks along walls and make the strings relatively short and hang them from a prop upfront. If you don’t want hooks in the ceiling, you can also hang them from screws placed near the ceiling.
PVC pipe magic
Many looking for creative ways to display model airplanes prefer to go the PVC route. This entails building basic PVC racks that mount on a wall. This differs from shelves in both look and function. One big benefit is that this style makes it easy to support the wings against gravity so they won’t warp over time.
This gets your projects off of the floor and secures them while keeping them within sight and reach when you want to use them. Affordable alternatives to PVC pipes include garage or shed racks and storage rods the same ones used to organize shovels and other outdoor tools. Use strong materials for your heavy planes and add extra rods of wing support when in doubt.
If your primary display area is a workshop, garage, or shed, go the extra step and weatherproof the space. Add insulation if it doubles as your work area and seals it so moisture can’t get in.
Coming up with creative ways to display model airplanes will protect and keep them out of the way. It makes it easy to share your projects with guests and simply enjoy the sight of your growing collection of model airplanes.